Young Justice: Apokolips
by CuzImBatmanZC
Summary: One year after The Reach invasion, The Light strikes again. Will the Team be able to stop them again, and what will it cost?
1. Missing in Action

Authors note: This series takes place one year after Young Justice Season 2 ended. If you have not seen the show, watch it before reading this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the characters or stories used.

June 20, 2017, 4:45 PM, The Watchtower, funeral room.

Every member of the Team is gathered at the memorial to the original Kid Flash, Wally West. Since Kid Flash died, the Team has had some changes. The current team consists of Aqualad, Kid Flash (Bart Allen), Superboy, Supergirl, Miss Martian, Tigress, Beast Boy, Blue Beetle, Bumblebee, Batgirl, Guardian, Static, Wonder Girl, Raven, Starfire, and Cyborg. Aqualad is absent from the group. Everyone, even those who never met him, is gathered for the anniversary of Wally's death. Artemis (Tigress) is at the front of the room with flowers for her lost boyfriend. The holographic image of Wally flickers as Kaldur enters the room. He quietly walks over to Connor and M'gann, who are side by side, and asks them to follow him out. They do so.

"So, what is so important that you won't even let us grieve for Wally?" Connor asks.

"It's Nightwing. He's missing." Kaldur says. M'gann, in great surprise, gasps.

"No, Dick ditched us. He is in Blüdhaven doing his solo act. He probably just doesn't want to talk to you." Connor remarks, arms folded.

"No Connor. It's worse. We have conformation that Vandal Savage took him Gotham one week ago." Kaldur continues, "and he did not ditch us. Leading this team is a stressful and hard thing to do. After that, and losing his best friend, he needed a break."

"OK, first, a year isn't a break, it's quitting. Second, how is it confirmed that Savage took him?" Connor responds.

"Batman was on a mission with him to stop a series of robberies from the Royal Flush Gang when Savage stepped in. He used a BoomTube to kidnap Dick." Kaldur answers.

"A BoomTube? That's Apokoliptan." Connor states

"It is. The trade and use of Apokopiptan weapons has increased, as we've seen. We need to get the Team-" Kaldur starts, when Batman interrupts him over the intrcom.

"Aqualad, I need you to report to the main hall. Bring Superboy and Miss Martian." Batman instructs.

"Let's go then." Connor says.

June 20, 2017, 5:05, The Watchtower, main hall.

"5 hours ago, Nightwing was abducted by Vandal Savage while on a mission with me. Aqualad and I assumed this was the solo work of the Light. We received this message 20 minutes ago, from an old friend." Batman explains to Aqualad, Superboy, and Miss Martian. As he talks, holographic images are displayed behind him. Once he finishes, Batman steps out of the way so the 3 young heroes can see the video.

The screen is white for a second, then the face backs away from the camera to reveal the full, unmistakable face of The Joker."Greetings Bats. As much as i'd love to have a spat with you, this message is for the children you call sidekicks. I have your friend here." The Joker sidesteps and reveals a beaten and broken Nightwing, chained to a wall. A couple moments of watching him hang there, and hearing The Joker laugh, he steps back in front of Nightwing and continues. "He's at the castle of Wotan, in Brasilia. We'll be waiting." The Joker laughs uncontrollably until the camera shuts off.

Miss Martian is the first to break the silence. "We have to go rescue him!"

"Agreed, but it is undoubtedly a trap." Aqualad responds.

"So we send in everyone. A full-Team response." Superboy suggests.

"I agree, that is a logical course of action. The League would assist but," Batman starts, when Aqualad finishes his sentence.

"But The Joker would kill Nightwing."

"So it is up to us then?" Miss Martian asks, nervously.

"It would appear so. In one hour have the team meet here." Aqualad commands.

"What's the plan?" Superboy asks Kaldur.

"I have absolutely no idea."


	2. Assault

June 20, 2017, 6:15, The Watchtower, main hall.

After explaining what happened to Nightwing, and showing the video of The Joker to the whole team, Aqualad begins instructions. A map of the castle of Wotan appears on the holographic imager.

"You will be divided into Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. Alpha will be myself, Bumblebee, Batgirl, Raven, and Tigress. I will run Alpha. Beta will be Kid Flash, Cyborg, Miss Martian, Static, and Blue Beetle. Miss Martian has point. Gamma will be Superboy, Supergirl, Wondergirl, Starfire, Guardian, and Beast Boy with Superboy in charge. Alpha, our job is to get inside covertly. We will try to get to Nightwing and get him out. We will enter from the side here." A yellow dot appears on the castle image, next to the water. "I will enter through the water and the rest of you will wait for me to open an entrance for you. Beta will enter here." Another yellow dot appears, on the opposite side of the castle. "You will hack the system and find Nightwing, then inform Alpha of his location. You will then meet us at his prison cell and help us get him out. Gamma, you will enter through the front door. Your job is simple: keep everyone focused on you. Wotan is a sorcerer, but he doesn't use 100% magic. His castle, according to Zatanna, has no magic qualities. He will be there. So will The Joker, and probably a lot more. The mission is to get Nightwing, and get him out. Alpha will take the Bioship. Beta will use Cyborgs car. Gamma will take the SuperCycle. Any questions?" Aqualad finishes. Everyone shakes there heads. "Good. Then let's move."

June 20, 2017, 8:00, Brasilia, Castle of Wotan.

'Miss Martian, link us up!" Aqualad uses the telepathic link to communicate with Miss Martian.

'Link Established.' Miss Martian replies.

'Good. Gamma, hit them now. and hit them hard.' Aqualad instructs.

All of Gamma squad that can fly (Supergirl, Wondergirl, and Starfire) fly out of the SuperCycle and straight at the castle. Supergirl uses her heat vision to hit the front guards. Immediately, about 5 dozen guards dressed in Joker men outfits come out of the doors, shooting at the 3 girls. The SuperCycle reaches the castle and lands. Superboy, Guardian, and Beast Boy come out, Beast Boy as a lion. Superboy sees a guard running at them and charges him. The guard punches him, but Superboy dodges and grabs his arm and flips him. Another guard is close so Superboy runs up and punches the guard in the face. Beast Boy, as a lion, runs into the middle of 5 guards. He then turns into a t-rex and slams his tail into them. Guardian runs up, dodges a punch from a guard, grabs the guards arm, and throws him into another guard. Starfire flies around shooting starbolts at guards, apologizing every once and awhile. Supergirl is about to attack when a white monster appears in the doorway and leaps at her. He grabs her and throws her at the ground.

"Grundy." She mutters. Solomon Grundy lands a few feet away with a crash. "Let's dance G" She says. Then a rope wraps around Grundy. Wondergirl pulls him up, twirls him around, then throws him at Supergirl, who punches him in the face, and he slides across the ground behind Supergirl. "So we doing this one together blondie?" Supergirl yells up at Wondergirl.

"You know it! And who are you calling blondie?" Wondergirl replies. Both girls then fly at the now free Grundy.

The Bioship flies at the castle from the side, across water. "Drop point 1 is a go." Tigress, who is piloting the ship, says. Aqualad stands and his chair disappears into the ship. A hole opens up in front of him and he jumps down it.

Underwater, Aqualad swims towards the castle. He dodges several mines and traps as he approaches the gate. He uses his Water-Bearers to slice through it and swims at the castle again. He arrives close enough and swims to the surface. He uses a grappling hook borrowed from Batgirl to grapple up to the castle.

Aqualad lands on a platform near the entrance. He slips into the castle and heads for the control room. After finding it, he pushes a few buttons and notifies

Tigress that she can land the Bioship on the platform. 'Beta, what's your status?' Aqualad asks.

Cyborgs car (Which duals as a hovercraft) hovers across the water. Cyborg had already hacked the security system.

Kid Flash looks around the car on the inside. "Pretty sweet ride. We could take some sweet road trips in this bad boy, as long as there's pizza."

"Heck no! No food in my baby!" Cyborg yells.

Quiet! We are here." Miss Martian states. Cyborg lands the car on the ground near the castle. The squad makes it up to the castle and Miss Martian tells Cyborg to hack into the house and find Nightwing.

"Static, get this door open. Kid Flash, vibrate through the door and try to find Nightwing or Alpha squad. Blue, keep watch." All did as were told.

By the time static got the door open, they saw Kid Flash on the ground, with Deathstroke standing over him, about to kill him.

"SLADE!" Cyborg yells as his hand changes into a cannon and begins firing at Deathstroke, who easily dodges the blasts. Miss Martian uses her telekinesis to lift Deathstroke up and slam him into a wall. Deathstroke grabs a handful of pellets from his belt and throws them at Miss Martian. The Pellets explode and sets the floor around her on fire. She faints. Kid Flash, seeing the danger, took off in the other direction. Cyborg keeps shooting and using his sonic disrupter but to no avail. Deathstroke throws an emp at him and Cyborg collapses, paralyzed. Static tries shooting electric bolts at Deathstroke and Blue Beetle changes his hands to his swords and attacks.

Then a dark matter surrounds Deathstroke and sends him flying into the water. Blue and Static see Aqualad, Tigress, Raven, Kid Flash, and Batgirl standing there. Aqualad puts the fire out and goes to Miss Martian.

"Where's Bee?" Blue Beetle asks.

"Scoping out the castle. Where's Nightwing?" Batgirl responds.

Cyborg, who has regained his mobility, says "Follow me."

Outside, Supergirl and Wondergirl battle Grundy. Supergirl grabs him from behind and flies up. Once at a good altitude, she drops him. Wondergirl waits for him to be in the perfect spot then uppercuts him. He goes flying and lands on some guards, unconscious.

"Oh yeah!" Wondergirl screams.

"Girl power!" Supergirl shouts as she high fives Wondergirl. By this time most of the guards have been defeated. The 2 men fly out from the building. Wotan and Black Adam.

'Um, Aqualad, we have an issue.' Superboy telepathically says.

'We are close to Nightwings chamber. Whatever it is just keep it busy for a few more minutes.' Aqualad replies.

Black Adam, seeing Wondergirl and Supergirl together, charges at them. Superboy jumps up to attack Wotan, who summons a lightning bolt to strike Superboy, who plummets down to the ground. Starfire unloads a barrage of starbolts on Wotan who shields himself.

Black Adam grabs Supergirl as he flies by and throws her into Wondergirl. Both stand up but Black Adam is right there and punches Supergirl, sending her off the edge of the island, into the water. Wondergirl uses the one second Black Adam uses to bask and uppercuts him. He staggers, then, seeing Wondergirl flying at him shouts "SHAZAM!" and evades back as the lightning bolt strikes Wondergirl. Supergirl was already on her way back when she saw this. She goes full speed and rams into Black Adam. She then keeps up with him flying back and punches him and uses heat vision over and over at super speeds.

Wotan sees this and sends a magic beam at Supergirl, which is blocked by Starfire. Beast Boy turns into a pterodactyl and flies above Wotan, then turns into an Elephant.

"This is it." Cyborg says, approaching a door in the hallway.

"OK. Miss M." Aqualad replies. Miss Martian walks up and, using telekinesis, rips the door out.

Nightwing hung there in front of them, chained and broken.

Batgirl mutters "Oh my gosh... Dick..." and runs up to him.

"Batgirl! Watch out!" Bumblebee, who had returned to normal size and is standing behind Aqualad, yelled.

Then, the infamous Joker laugh filled the room, followed by a gunshot, and Batgirl fell down, face-first.


	3. Emergency

June 20, 2017, 9:00, Brasilia, Castle of Wotan

"BATGIRL!" Miss Martian and Tigress scream and rush to her side. Aqualad pulls his water-bearers and makes them into hammers as he leaps at The Joker,

who dodges him and pulls his knife.

"She is still alive, but barely!" Tigress yells.

Aqualad, while deflecting blows from the The Joker, says "You guys take Nightwing and Batgirl to the Bioship! Blue Beetle and I will handle this clown!"

"You'll, HANDLE me?! heh heh heh heh, We shall see!" Joker laughs and takes a slash at Aqualad, who barely dodges.

Blue Beetle flies up to see at eye level. 'Simple target. I suggest using the plasma cannon at wide dispersal!' Blue Beetles Beetle informs Jaime.

"And destroy my friend? No way mi hermano. Sonic cannon!" Blue Beetle uses his sonic cannon on Joker, who slams into the wall.

"Is everyone gone?" Aqualad asks. Blue Beetle nods. "Good. Maneuver 7!" Aqualad instructs. Blue Beetle creates a shield around himself. The Joker stands up in time to see Aqualad's tattoos light up, and the room flooded with water.

After a few seconds, the water drained, and Joker lay unconscious.

"Nice shot amigo!" Blue Beetle says.

'Are Nightwing and Batgirl safe?' Aqualad asks the Team.

'Yes We are all aboard the Bioship waiting for you.' Miss Martian responds.

'Tigress and Kid Flash stay put. The rest of you head out to the front yard. We need to help Gamma.' Aqualad instructs.

'What? No! I'm staying with Nightwing and Batgirl!' Miss Martian argues.

'M'gann! We cannot help them unless we can leave and if we leave now then we leave Gamma behind.' Aqualad reasons.

'Fine. Let's make it quick!' Miss Martian agrees.

"You will bow to me Kryptonian!" Black Adam yells as he hovers over Supergirl, who is trying to protect Wondergirl who is unconscious.

"Never!" She yells back as she shoots heat vision, which he evades. Beast Boy attacks him from behind as a monkey, but once on his head he transforms into a gorilla, making Black Adam plummet into the ground. Beast boy is still sitting on him when he hears Black Adam say something. Suddenly, a huge lightning bolt strikes Beast Boy, and he reverts to his normal self, and falls unconscious.

"You can't beat me! I am not as easily taken down as Wotan!" Black Adam bellows. Then, a huge rock slams into Black Adam. He doesn't even flinch. "Ha! That was a petty attempt, children!" He turns to see Alpha and Beta squads attacking. He plows towards them, arrives in the middle, and screams "SHAZAM!" and bolts out. A lightning bolt comes down, hits the metal floor, and shocks all of them, knocking all out except Static.

"That was easy." Black Adam says triumphantly.

"You're not done yet!" Static says. Both get ready to attack when a voice interrupts.

"Ekam kcalb mada lley mazahs!"

Black Adam yells "SHAZAM!" A lighting bolt strikes him, and he turns into a normal, ancient Egyptian King, and fell down.

"Dnib sih htuom." A rock near his head turns into a rope and ties itself around his mouth. He grabs the rope. "Dna sdnah dna teef." More rocks turn into rope and binds his hands and feet. Zatanna floats down on a magic platform.

"Zatanna! Thank goodness. Listen, I'd love to stay and chat, but Batgirl was shot by Joker and needs a hospital!" Static explains.

Zatanna looks at him with horror and says "enoyreve ekaw pu!" Instantly everyone wakes up. "Static filled me in. We need to move!"

June 21, 2017, 1:00 AM, The Watchtower, Medical Wing.

Batman and Nightwing stand facing the glass to Batgirl's emergency room. Martian Manhunter, Black Canary, and Zatanna all work on Batgirl.

"We should have taken her to Gotham General, They could do better." Nightwing says.

"No. We need to preserve our identities." Batman replies.

"Seriously Bruce? Our identities are not as important as Barbara's life!" Nightwing states, turning to face his old mentor.

"Dick it means our lives! Can you imagine what would happen if The Joker knew Batman was Bruce Wayne? Or Poison Ivy? Or Deathstroke? What would happen if Lex Luthor knew Superman was Clark Kent? Our identities mean our lives! And I trust J'onn to save hers." Batman concludes.

Nightwing, pondering this new lesson by his old teacher, takes a moment before asking "What are you going to do about Gordon?"

This is the question Bruce had been dreading. He knew if he brought news to Gordon that Barbara was Batgirl that he would be inconsolable. So he had to do something he hoped he would never do: lie to Gordon.

"I will wait and ask Barbara when she wakes." He finally answers.

"And if she doesn't?" Dick asks.

Before Batman could respond, Martian Man entered the room. "I've done what I can. It's up to her now. If she wakes though, she will be paralyzed from the waist down. I'm afraid The Joker killed Batgirl, but Barbara has a fighting chance." He explains.

Nightwing and Batman go outside the room to one with a lot of chairs filled with their comrades. Nightwing informs everyone of the situation, then pulls Kaldur aside.

"Kaldur, you shouldn't have come for me. It was a dumb mistake." Dick says.

"My best friend gave up on life because he is a clone, my other best friend is dead. You're the only one I have left. I would risk anything to get you back." Kaldur states.

"Anything? Like throw your team, the people who trust you with their lives, into a very obvious trap?" Dick replies.

Kaldur sighs. "I suppose you are right. I should have gone alone."

"No! You shouldn't have come at all."

"If you were in my place, would you have done any different?" Kaldur asks.

After a pause, Dick answers "No, I guess not."

"Will you be rejoining the Team?" Kaldur questions.

"I don't know. Maybe." Dick replies.

"We could really use you, leading the team again." Kaldur tells Dick.

"Look, if i do, then we lead the team together." Dick replies.

Then the computer voice comes on the Zeta beam and says "Recognized, Robin, B-2-0." Then Tim Drake, in a T-shirt and jeans, runs in.

"Where is Barbara? Is she OK?" Tim yells.

"Tim, she's going to be OK, but there's some complications." Dick says, after walking up to him. Then he explains everything to Tim.

After, Tim says "Dick, I need to tell you something, about Gordon."

June 21, 2017, 3:00 AM, The Watchtower, Medical Wing

Martian Manhunter, Black Canary, and Zatanna walk out the room, into the waiting room. Martian Manhunter speaks up. "She's awake, and she wants to see Nightwing, Batman, and Aqualad." He says.

The three men walk into Batgirls room, Aqualad closes the door.

"Hey..." Batgirl says.

"Barbara, I am so sorry." Kaldur starts.

"Kaldur, it's not your fault." Barbara continues.

"Barb, we need to tell the Commissioner." Bruce informs. Barbara agrees. "Then you're done in the hero world."

"What? No. I agree we need to tell my father but we can tell him that The Joker kidnapped Barbara Gordon, then shot her. I can keep doing this."

"Barbara, you're paralyzed! You need a wheelchair, how are you going to keep being Batgirl?" Bruce asks.

"I won't. Batgirl is dead."

"Then how can you help?" Aqualad questions.

"I can organize everything from the Watchtower for the Team and the League. I am a master with computers and I know i can do this." Barbara says.

"Barb, I can't-" Dick starts.

"Dick, I want to help." Barbara states.

"You were shot. I can't allow you to do this." Bruce says.

"I will be fine! I'll be in the Watchtower." Barbara argues.

"What if someone breaks in?" Aqualad asks.

"I'll have my own secret room." Barbara responds.

"What about Commis-" Bruce starts. He is interrupted by Tim running in.

"Tim? How nice to see you!" Barbara states.

"Barbara, I need to tell you something. I told Dick but, he wanted me to tell you. I would have been here earlier but Dick wanted me to get more information." Barbara looks at him confused. "Barb, your father is dead."


	4. Changes

June 21, 3:15 AM, The Watchtower, Medical Wing

Barbara Gordon sits in her room, starting to cry, after she hears her partner, Tim Drake, inform her that her father is dead.

""W-what? How? When?" she sobs.

"Well, you know how I live next door to you to keep an eye on you two? Yeah well two hours ago, a big man with some sort of armor walked in. I decided to follow. I arrived just in time to see him murder your father with an Apokoliptan weapon." Tim explains.

Barbara begins too bawl. Dick goes to comfort her.

"Did you see who killed him?" Bruce asks.

Tim shakes his head. "No, but I took pictures," He says, pulling a black digital camera out of his pocket. Bruce scans the pictures.

"Vandal Savage. The Light killed Gordon." Bruce states.

"Do we have to do this while she's crying?" Dick snaps.

"No, Dick, it's ok." Barbara says, still sobbing.

"Fine. Let's meet here tomorrow to discuss events. Tim, can you stay that long or are you going back to normal life?" Bruce asks.

"I am not hiding anymore. You are gonna need me to fight the Light. I want to be Robin again."

June 21, 3:00 PM, The Watchtower, Medical Wing

Kaldur walks into Barbara's room in the Medical Wing dressed as Aqualad to find Dick in a T-shirt and jeans near her Barbara in a hospital gown in her bed, Bruce in his Batman costume with the mask off leaning against the window to space, and Tim in a T-shirt and jeans sitting on a chair near the wall.

"OK, good. you're here. Let's begin." Batman starts. "The Light killed Gordon at the same time as your attacking the Castle of Wotan to save Nightwing. I also heard from Captain Marvel that an arms deal in Fawcett City with Apokoliptan weapons. He stopped it and interrogated one of the guys. Apparently there were arms deals in New York, Gotham City, Metropolis, and Central City. This means there has to be a deal between the Light and an Apokoliptan trader and we will have to anticipate attacks with Apokoliptan weapons. Obviously the abduction of Nightwing was a distraction for the purchase and and test of Apokolptan weapons for the Light." Batman deducts.

"I looked around for a place where we could get some information on the Light while Dick slept." Barbara says, pulling out a laptop.

"Barbara, stop. You shouldn't keep going. You were shot in the back! You're done." Dick says, turning towards her.

"Dick, my father is dead. I have no where to go and my computer skills can be of great use. I've already got a code name and-" Barbara begs.

Batman interrupts "Barbara, I'm not saying it's a bad idea, but I want you to take some time. 1 month, then we will talk."

Barbara, infuriated, says "No! I'm needed here! I already did some digital recon on Lexcorp servers and I can hack into it for info!"

"Barbara, not yet. I want to know you're ok before I let you do this, OK?" Batman says, in his authoritative way.

Barbara, conceding defeat, says "Fine, but no more then a month."

"Good, now that that's settled, what do we do?" Aqualad asks.

"Here's where I come in." Tim says, standing. "Last night, Dick asked me to do some more research on Gordon's death. I found out about the arms deals, and hacked into one of the Light's secure areas, before they had a chance to lockdown the file for the deals. They didn't buy from a human, they bought from Darkseid himself."

All remain silent for a few seconds. "If they are buying from Darkseid, then that means we have to fight Apokolips and the Light." Dick says.

Batman, thinking for a moment, states "We are going to need a League and Team response."

"No." Aqualad contradicts. Being the only person in the room who was never Batman's protege, didn't realize the mistake, and Dick, Tim, and Barbara gasp.

"Excuse me?" Batman snaps.

"There's a better way. If the whole Justice League responds, the Light will do more to cover their tracks. If the Team responds, they might not notice right away." Aqualad explains.

"OK, then let me assign a Leaguer to the Team for help." Batman says.

"Seems like you already did. Why did you send Zatanna?" Dick asks.

"I knew it was a trap so I wanted to make sure you could make it out. From what I heard, she helped." Batman explains.

"That she did. Will you assign her?" Dick asks.

"Indeed." Batman confirms.

"So what's the first move?" Tim wonders.

"First, we have to go to Bialya. Queen Bee has a series of airships coming in. I believe they are Apokoliptan shipments. I want to know."Aqualad Informs.

"Who is going?" Tim asks.

June 22, 2017, 1:00 PM, Bialyan Desert.

The camouflaged BioShip flies through the Bialyan desert, piloted by Miss Martian.

"OK, everyone ready?" She asks.

"Ready!" Wondergirl, Tigress, Bumblebee, and Raven all respond.

"I'm ready also." Zatanna says.

Then, something hits the BioShip, and it falls out of the sky.


End file.
